Red Strings
by yayhodr
Summary: "For him, everything always led back to her. Even when he hadn't known that it was. Every life he had ever lived, every day, had been leading him to her. And no matter how many times he managed to completely screw it up, the universe always gave him another chance". Reincarnation AU. KilixOC, FilixOri, eventual Bagginsheild. Warnings for violence and mentions of abuse.
1. Prologue: The Burial Chambers of Erebor

**Middle Earth, Erebor's Burial Catacombs, 16 years after the Battle of the Five Armies**

"I'm sorry it took me so long love," Beanie whispered. No one else was here in the giant stone hall, but it didn't matter. The words she spoke were for her Kíli alone. Her fingers brushed the gold-filled runes over the tomb. 'Here lieth Kíli, son of Dís, Daughter of Thrain, Son of Thrôr. A Mighty Warrior of Durin's Line. Slain in Battle, the Everlasting Protector now watches from the mighty mansions of Aulë. May We Meet Again.' "Your mother and I had to petition the council to let me come in… protection of your heritage, an' all," she said, smiling softly. "Sometimes I think they still don' like me very much." She bit her lip, thinking of the hardships she and Kíli had been through in order to get his uncle to agree even to their courtship. Thorin hadn't wanted to entertain the idea that his nephew, an heir to the line of Durin, could have fallen in love with a human.

Thank the Valar for Kili's persistence though. He kept wearing away at his uncle, and Beanie had a sneaking suspicion that Fili had helped to convince their uncle to give the young woman a chance.

When Thorin had finally come to the Thorvaldssons house to meet the family, Beanie had thought all was lost as the proud and haughty king looked down his nose and caught sight of her shrieking brothers. She'd been halfway through curtsying to the king when he noticed the two small boys at his feet reenacting the siege of Erebor, with one big difference.

As the King Under the Mountain watched, the two small boys battled, reminding him of two tiny dwarflings he had once seen play out this same scenario. Except this time, the great dragon appeared to have won. And the dark-haired child stood with one foot on his fallen brother's chest and gleefully cheered, "Thowin is no more! I is Smog, da fiewce an' bwave, an' I has beated you!" And to the real Thorin's shock, the other child, who appeared to be holding a branch as a stand-in for the Oakenshield, fell over into what Thorin grudgingly had to admit was a fairly spectacular and appropriately valiant death, moaning and groaning and swearing revenge for his ancestors all the way.

As Thorin looked down at their smiling faces, greeting their sister and tugging at Kili's coat as Kili nervously tried to explain to his uncle that the boys needed to take turns at winning their game, the king's heart melted. Before he knew what he was doing, he scooped the small boys up into his arms and then into his lap as he sat on the big armchair and said in his deep voice, "That was a good try, but let me explain to you the real story of Erebor... and the real Thorin Oakenshield."

"How come you knowed it so good?" Modi, the dark-haired twin had asked when it was over, still staring in awe.

Thorin had just smiled proudly, ruffling the boy's hair and making him giggle. "Because I** am **Thorin Oakenshield."

Two sets of blue eyes got very round. Magni, who still looked impressed, also looked a bit confused.

"What is it, lad?"

"Kiwi said yer name was Mag... Magestick Unca' Gwumpy-pants."

Thorin leveled a very stern look at his nephew, who gulped and had the good grace to look sheepish. Kili hadn't known the boys had been listening when he'd said that to Beanie one night. Of course, knowing what troublemakers the twins were, he should have guessed.

But the Thorvaldsson twins had managed to do what Kili had been afraid would never happen. Their big smiles and youthful innocence had reminded Thorin of happier days, and of the good times he wanted to fight for, and so he had accepted that his nephew had fallen in love with this young woman and that his nephew had taken her family into his heart. It hadn't been long before Fili had done the same, and so too would the former king.

Kili had asked her to marry him a month before he was to leave Ered Luin, on a quest to retake the mountain and his people's homeland.

"So, Fili thinks we should have the ceremony in Erebor," he'd said as the two of them sat out in the sunshine by the lake, one of their favourite places.

"What ceremony?"

"The wedd- oh. Right." He blushed. "Will you?"

"Will I what?"

"Marry me, I mean?" He'd been afraid that he'd ruined his chances of ever having her accept him with a proposal like that, but she'd only squealed and threw her arms around him, kissing every inch of his face she could reach. "Of course I will!"

"Really?" His face lit up. "Even after I asked you like that?" She'd only smiled fondly at his worried eyes, and kissed him again, though softer this time. "How could I ever say no t' my Prince Charmin'?"

They decided to have the ceremony, and indeed even the official announcement in Erebor, telling no one except Kili's elder brother of their plans. Fili had been delighted, and as they left Ered Luin for the Shire, and Kili held her close and kissed her, and he promised he would send word as soon as he mountain was theirs again.

But he had never sent word for her. He, and his brother and uncle, had all fallen defending the mountain home they had just barely wrested from the great dragon. The news had brought a grief that nearly killed her, along with Kili's mother. But over the happy years before the quest, Dis and Beanie had grown fond of each other, and they often helped each other through their worst days.

The dwarven high council had finally allowed her entrance into the catacombs of Erebor, so that she could see Kili's tomb, and pay her respects... so she could speak to him again, as dwarrows often did with their loved ones. The council had been against it, as Beanie was human, but her friendship with Dis had warmed Dain Ironfoot towards her and her plea. Dain too knew the pain of loved ones lost, and he did not believe it right for this young woman never to have the comfort of a farewell. Dain had overruled the council, his right as the new King Under the Mountain, and he she was, having been led there by a very kind dwarf named Bofur, who had removed his floppy hat when he'd introduced himself.

She had thanked him in a rather thick voice, and he'd placed a hand on her shoulder, tears in his own eyes. "It weren't right that Kili was taken from us... from you, lass. He... he was the youngest of us all. It should have been any of us... not him. Not him." Bofur had pointed down the long passage and told her gently that he'd be waiting at the gate for her when she was ready, to take her time, he would not rush her.

So she had walked down the passage, to the very end. She saw the runes etched in stone, and she knew this was him, her Kili. He had shown her once, how he wrote his name. Even though his uncle had not known exactly how much Khuzdul she knew, she could make out most of the alphabet by now. So she stood there, with her Kili. Before long, the words were tumbling out.

"My ûgmâlel… I never thought you would leave before me… before we had a chance to have the wedding," her voice was thick with unshed tears. "The boys miss ya. They wanted to be here for my first visit, but Da helped me convince them." She gave a hollow laugh. "I think it'll be a while before the council lets the twin twisters in here, if they ever do. Ya'd be so proud, Kíli… They've been working to strengthen the trade routes between here and Ered Luin. They're goin' t' lead a caravan themselves next spring." She would always call them her boys, Even if Magni and Modi were just past their twentieth nameday. When they weren't burdened with their responsibilities, they were just as troublesome and playful as they'd been when they were children.

"Atâmanel, I… I'm almost glad they're not here. It's been too long since we had a moment alone." As she spoke, a single tear trailed down her cheek. She wiped it away impatiently. She had sworn to herself that, after all these years, the first time Kíli saw her, she would not cry. "I miss you… so much…" Beanie wasn't aware she had spoken the words until they were out of her mouth. She knew more Khuzdul words now, having spent nearly three years courting Kili before he left on the quest that had taken his life.

"It's been sixteen years today," she said, closing her eyes and leaning against the pillar near the carved runes. "I love you, my Kili." With her eyes closed, she could almost pretend that he was sitting just a few feet from her. She felt him here, more so than anywhere else, except for the meadow near the home she had once had in Gondamon. They had spent countless afternoons in that meadow, and by the lake, and before she and her father had moved across the mountain ranges to Dale, she had often gone there just to feel a whisper of him. "It… it seems I spend every moment missin' you…" Now she was having a harder time keeping her tears in check. "I know we'll meet again though," she said quietly, her fingers lightly tracing the runes over his final resting place. "You promised me we would, an' you always hit what you aim at." She thought of the days before his burial, and how Dis had been the one to place his bow in his hands before the tomb had been sealed. My archer, she thought, and she could not stop the tears any longer.

She let them flow, but here the grief did not threaten to consume her the way it did sometimes when she was in company. Here, she was with Kíli, and his ancestors. Somehow, they had a presence which kept her sane, and began to fill up the holes in her heart. Resting her forehead against Kíli's stone tomb, she whispered, "I love you so much, âzyûngel-min… an' I always will."

This was as close as she could be to him now. She had tried to resign herself to the knowledge that she would never again be held by him, but on cold nights when the loneliness seemed so thick it would choke her, she could swear to Mahal himself that she felt Kíli's arms softly slide around her shoulders and gently pull her to his chest. She could hear his deep voice in her ear, like a flutter of breath, "I've got you, love. I'm here." And she knew he was. He would find her again someday. Kili always kept his promises.

* * *

A/N: This is a cowrite with Beaniebaneenie on tumbr and AO3. AO3 has five chapters posted, and we just started writing chapter 17 total. So read and review and I'll put up more until we're caught up with AO3. This chapter was written entirely by her, and then from then on, we wrote together :)

Basically, this started as an RP, and it kind of spiraled out of control. Beanie and Kili were engaged in Middle Earth, and well...you'lll find out as time goes on.


	2. Sigrid

It all started because Thorin had to have coffee creamer.

All of it.

Well, it actually started with an apple and a pie, but that was a different age. In the end, he did get apple pie flavored creamer, though, so it was always apple pie. And her. For him, everything always led back to her. Even when he hadn't known that it was leading back to her. Every life he had ever lived, every day, had been leading him to her. And no matter how many times he managed to completely screw it up, the universe always gave him another chance.

Spoiler alert: No matter how badly he managed to bungle it, she always said yes.

Eventually.

* * *

"Boys! I need you to run down to the store."

"Ma..."

"No, really. We're out of coffee creamer... Yes," she said at her youngest son's look, "Out out. And you both know what your uncle is like in the mornings without his wake-up juice. Store. Now." And so they went.

The local store was rarely busy, although it didn't seem to be doing too badly. For Fili and Kili, it was nice because it meant that they didn't get weird looks when they decided to have shopping cart races, or argue loudly over whether paying more for brand name ketchup was worth it. (It was.) Today it was almost empty, and the staff never really bothered themselves over the brothers because they always left with a cart piled high with food. Not today though. Just a simple pit stop for coffee creamer. At least, that's what it was supposed to be.

Simple pit stop for coffee creamer or not, the brothers still made a detour to the candy section, piling more candy into their basket than two 22 year olds probably should. Later, Kili would claim that it was fate, because if they hadn't stopped for candy, they would have missed her.

Her long braid fell over her shoulders as she reached down for the big bag of Reese's minis and she flung it back with the impatience of having done it a hundred times as she stood on tiptoe to reach for the Swedish Fish. As they came around the corner, Kili froze, as Fili kept walking on, totally oblivious to the fact that his brother's eyes had just popped out of his head. She hadn't noticed the brunet staring at her either. Wrinkling her nose as she debated over her basket, she apparently decided that her haul was enough and made her way towards the dairy aisle. At first, Kili thought the reason he'd been staring was how perfectly this girl fit into his 'type.' And then. It hit him. It was her.

Before he knew what he had done, he had followed her towards the milk, almost directly behind her. As she stopped for chocolate milk, he stepped really close, and then spoke up. "I've never had chocolate before," he said, hopefully.

"What are you talking about? We had chocolate last night." Fili said, coming around the corner.

She turned around at the deep voice and saw Kili, way the hell too close for comfort, and backed right into the cooler door. "Who the hell are you?" she asked, glaring up at him. She hadn't meant it to be quite so blunt, but now that it was out, she wasn't about to take it back.

"Beanie! It's me! It's Kili," he said, confused. If he was remembering, he'd thought she would too. It was important. Apparently, not as important to her.  
"I don't know you," she said slowly, deliberately. "And my name's not Beanie..."

"Kee, this is Sigrid," Fili stepped in. "We had a metal shop class together for half a semester last year. She was one of the best," he added with a helpful smile. He was slightly concerned about his brother. He'd always had an active imagination, but it had never been this bad. The family had hoped he would grow out of it, but it kept getting worse. And now he was involving strangers.

Sigrid looked to Fili, a familiar face, even though it had been a while since she'd seen it. "Hey Fili," she said hesitantly. When Kili didn't back away, she put her hand to his chest to push him back a few inches... just to give herself breathing room. He was almost a foot taller than she was, and his intense gaze was unnerving.

"Hey Sigrid," Fili said, offering an even wider smile. "How goes things?"

"Beanie, don't you remember me?" Kili asked at almost the same time, still not backing away.

"I don't know you," she repeated, a bit more forcefully this time. "We've never met." Turning to Fili, she said, "Friend of yours?"

"My twin brother," Fili responded. "My uncle dropped him on his head as a baby," he added.

"He did not!"

"He did too, we just never told you. We're sorry Sigrid, we just came over to get some coffee creamer." He took hold of his brother's shoulder. "Come on, Kee... let's go." But Kili didn't budge. Sigrid didn't take her eyes off of him, but it was more out of fright than interest. She didn't think he'd hurt her with his brother there, but that kind of thinking had gotten her in messes before.

"Beanie, you have to remember me!" Kili pleaded, his eyes wide. How could she not? They'd been amazing together, all those years ago.  
"I'm not Beanie... I can't remember someone I've never met. Please, let me through."And she moved to push him out of the way if she had to.  
"Please," he begged, begging her with his eyes to remember. She'd always kind of been a sucker for his eyes. Everyone was.

Damn, but those were some good puppy eyes, and if she hadn't been so scared, she might have fallen for them. But even the best puppy eyes in the world (and she had to admit that these were a strong contender for the title) couldn't make her believe what she knew wasn't true. "I don't know who you think I am, but whoever this Beanie girl is, I'm not her!"

"Please," he repeated.

She moved to push him out of the way, but he misread her intentions and hugged her. Fili, standing in the background, facepalmed and rushed forward to drag his brother away. "We really need to have a talk about how you treat people," he said. "And personal space."

With Fili's help, Sigrid was able to peel him away from her, even though he kept trying to hug her again. It didn't seem like he was trying to do more than that, or she might have been tempted by the mace in her bag, but under the circumstances, this was more than enough physical contact. "I'm not Beanie! My name is Sigrid... not Beanie!" She knew she was babbling a bit, but she didn't know what else to do to get it through his head.

"Your father doesn't call you Beanie?" Kili asked, wondering if maybe Eikar hadn't nicknamed her that in this reincarnation. She wasn't quite as small as she used to be. But, of course, neither was he.

At the mention of her father, her face darkened and her green eyes went hard. "My father was a slimeball, a jerk who was perfectly happy to use me to get ahead in his career. I never had one kind word from him in my life. Because of him, I was in the foster system. The only thing he ever called me was worthless," she spat.

"Eikar?" Kili's face fell. Eikar would never, he had always been amazing.

"No, Alec. And don't talk to me about that bald bastard."

"...He doesn't have thick curly hair, just like you? And his eyes... they're like yours. Green, I mean. Tall as a church steeple, you said... it's true, he's way taller than me. And he's one of the kindest people I've ever met... not like what you said... he's not your father?"

Instead of smiling, Sigrid's eyes stayed frosty. "How do you know my stepfather? How long have you been stalking me?" It was understandable that someone might think Edmund was her father... they did look alike, now that she thought about it. And he was wonderful. But this guy shouldn't have known that.

"I haven't! He's your father," Kili insisted as Fili grabbed him by both arms and began forcefully- and with much difficulty- pulling Kili out of the store.  
Sigrid felt bad for the guy... against her better judgment, but she did. He obviously really thought she was this 'Beanie' person, and was pretty upset about it. Still, she made no effort to stop Fili from pulling his brother away.

Kili finally allowed himself to be dragged away, his eyes begging her to please believe him. All he could do was hope that she would remember. Remember the past. Remember Middle Earth. Prove to him that it wasn't all in his head.

She looked away first. She didn't know him. Or Beanie, or Eikar. She wasn't who he thought she was. Thinking fervently that this was enough weirdness for one day, she went to the till, paid for her candy, her chocolate milk, and her impulse bottle of wine, she left the store and went back home, wanting to put this day behind her as quickly as possible.

* * *

"Uncle Thorin?"

Thorin looked up from his computer, raising an eyebrow as his elder nephew slipped into his office. "Can I help you?" He asked, shutting the laptop. He knew that look of worry, and that it only could lead to a few things, mostly revolving around his other nephew.

"It's getting worse," Fili informed him.

"What is." It wasn't really a question. Partly because Thorin never asked questions, not really. And partly because Thorin thought he knew exactly what was getting worse. But it didn't stop him from hoping for a different answer than he was sure he was going to get.

"Kili. The insanity. He's getting even more insistent," Fili said, shaking his head. He wouldn't mention what he had done, because he knew Thorin wouldn't ask. Thorin would only be angry if he knew that Kili had dragged someone he didn't even know into it. Well, Thorin would probably be angry anyway, but Fili would avoid it if he could.

The older man gave a heavy sigh and rubbed his hand over his face. "You told him it wasn't real?"

"Of course. He finally just stormed off to the archery targets."

Thorin nodded. Kili would stay out there until Fili or Dis made him come inside or until his arms fell off. Whichever came first.

"We need to do something. His therapist says there's no reason for it. But there has to be, he wouldn't carry on like that for no reason."

"He's got to stop carrying on like a child. Do whatever you have to in order to bring him back from these." Thorin closed his eyes, hands resting on the mantle of the fireplace in his study. "We can't lose him to this." Not like the others, was the unspoken addition that lay heavy in the air.

Thorin's father and grandfather, Thrain and Thror, had both gone insane before their deaths, muttering about some other life, and the life they had lived before. There was too much at risk, especially with Kili getting worse and worse.

Fili nodded. He knew he was expected to fix this. Even the bits that Thorin didn't know about yet. Which meant he would have to find Sigrid. He hadn't really seen her much since she dropped the only class they had ever shared in four years at the same college. But for Kili's sake, he'd have to find her. If she decided to press charges, Kili would be in big trouble with Thorin. And the family reputation couldn't handle a mark like that either. The nephew of the most powerful businessman in the city couldn't be involved in something like this. He'd have to find Sigrid. There was nothing else for it.

He found her leaving one of the art buildings on campus the next morning, brushing a few wood shavings from her hair. He made his way over to her, deciding not to just shout for her across the campus. "Sigrid," he called when he was closer, jogging to join her. "About yesterday...Kili's just kind of a dork. He's harmless, really."

She looked up at the sound of her name, a bit surprised to see who was calling her. "I don't see you for six months, and now twice in two days... is stalking me the new family hobby?" At his words, she rolled her eyes. "You call getting handsy in the dairy aisle 'harmless'?"

"I call it being socially awkward, actually. He's never really been good at making friends. Not for a while, anyways." Fili sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "And not stalking. I just wanted to apologise."

She sighed, shifting her bag. This conversation didn't look like it was going to be quick. It was good that she was finished classes for the day. "Honestly, he's lucky you were with him. I was really scared for a minute there." She bit her lip. "You said he's been having problems recently?" At Fili's nod, she replied, "Well, I really hope your family is being supportive." Her tone was still a bit distant, but she didn't walk away.

"I mean, we try to be. It can be a little much sometimes, but we're never mean or hurtful to him. He's seeing the very best therapist money can buy," Fili added. Gregory Grey was eccentric, but Kili always seemed a little less edgy after their sessions.

So they tried to be nice and they stuck him in therapy with the person in the city who had the most fancy pieces of paper on his wall. She nodded. Still better than the kind of support she'd gotten growing up. "Are you here apologising because your brother doesn't want to, or because you think he couldn't handle it?" The corners of her mouth weren't quite as hard now.

"I'm apologising because I should have watched him more. He's never been like that in public, I didn't know he'd make you uncomfortable like that," Fili said. "I don't know what got into him."

"Do you know who this girl is that he confused me with? Maybe that would help explain things." She wasn't quite sure how to act around Fili. True, they'd shared a class, but it was ages ago, and she'd dropped halfway through. And it wasn't like they were ever close before.

"I don't know. Maybe a friend from when we were younger, or a girl he knew from archery," he mused. They hadn't always had the same activities, and Kili had been much more social until about a year ago. "Probably a friend from boarding school," he decided

"Well, if you're vouching for him then I suppose I can forgive him," she said. Fili seemed to be a good guy, though she knew she couldn't say the same thing for some of his friends. "On one condition."

Fili nodded. "What condition?" He asked. He hoped, for her sake, that it wasn't pressing charges. Thorin's lawyers scared everyone. Including Thorin, Fili kind of suspected. He didn't want her to put herself through that.

"Your brother apologises to me himself." She had a thing about people owning up to their actions. "We can meet in the Java Bean," she gestured over her shoulder towards the campus coffee shop, "there'll be people there, I won't feel threatened. But if he's really sorry, then I want him to say it to my face." She looked up at Fili, her face set.

"I'll get him there, and have a talk with him about personal space beforehand," he said. He knew Kili was sorry, his brother had been mopey all day yesterday after they had gotten home. "He's not good at reading people, I'm sorry he didn't get the message about...everything," he repeated.  
"Fili, I know you're sorry. And I'm not upset with you, honestly. I appreciate you coming to talk to me." She huffed her bangs out of her face. "I know we don't know each other that well, but... I was glad to see you yesterday. When I was scared," she clarified. "It was nice to see a familiar face, even one I haven't seen in ages," she said, giving him a small smile.

"I know. It's just...I'm at a loss for what came over him," he said, shrugging. Kili had never been like that before. "I'm glad I was there. To keep him from doing anything we'd all regret. Or hurting you. He doesn't realise how big he is sometimes," he explained.

Sigrid chuckled at that. "He's nearly six foot... how can he not know?" His six-foot frame was even bigger to her, as she was just barely over five feet. She smiled at Fili, "Actually, I'm a bit surprised you remembered me from metal shop. That was like, what... a year ago? And as I recall, you were pretty quiet."  
"He was kind of small until we were about 15," Fili explained. He grinned at her. "You were kind of the best in the class. I always admired you," he said with a smile. "What happened? When you left, I mean."

"Me? Your work was incredible... the geometric designs and angles were always great. And I saw your final project at the department expo... those double swords were nice." She grinned thinking back, but at his question, a different memory made her scowl. She bit her lip before answering. "I just... couldn't be there anymore. Not after what they did to me." Twisting her hair over her shoulder, she tilted her head back so Fili could see underneath her chin, and the three-inch burn scar there.

Fili blushed slightly at her compliment. "Thank you. I put a lot of work into those," he said with a grin. His jaw dropped open at the scar. "Someone hurt you? That's- I'm so sorry!" He bit his lip and shook his head. Honestly. They were college students, they should really be above bullying. "Who did it?" He asked, biting his lip.

Sigrid hesitated. After all, Fili had sort of been friends with them. But she decided to trust him. "Robert and Aaron. They'd spent weeks hitting on me. And they were real pigs about it, especially when I kept saying no." She squeezed her eyes shut; it was easier to get through the story without having to look anyone in the eye. "I was in the studio late, working on the midterm project. They showed up. Didn't want to take 'no' for an answer. They tripped me, I had hot metal on an anvil." She paused again. "They ran when I screamed."

"Those..." He shook his head. They had always been pigs. He'd ditched them recently, tired of them picking at Kili. "I'm so sorry. Kili must have been extra scary for you after that."

"911 came pretty fast, and I did spend a few months in the hospital. I almost left college, but I didn't want to give them the satisfaction. I couldn't go back to that room though." She nodded, grateful that he understood. "Like I said, he was lucky you were there. I carry mace now," she gave him a rueful smile.  
"He would have deserved it. If it helps, I read him the riot act the whole way home," Fili said. "I'm glad that you didn't give them the satisfaction. No wonder they seemed to sour when you came back. The assholes," he shook his head. He would have been afraid to even be in same country as his attackers if he'd been attacked.

"My personal space bubble is a lot bigger than it used to be," she agreed. "Thanks... for believing me. I couldn't really talk when it happened, but when I named them, campus security said it was my word against theirs. Nothing they could do." Her fingers had balled into fists, and when she realised it, she took a deep breath. "The fact that your brother wants to apologise is a big step," she smiled. "It means he's not like them."

"He's not at all," Fili said. "He'd never hurt a fly. Not intentionally," he said. "He cries when animals die, and he even gets a little sad when I kill spiders," he said. "If he had known, he wouldn't have even approached you like that, I don't think anyways. I think he just saw a pretty girl and wanted to make friends."

Sigrid wrinkled her nose. "You can kill all the spiders you want... too many legs," she shuddered, and went slightly pink at his compliment. "Fili... please don't tell him?" she asked. "It... it's not something I generally advertise."

"I agree. I hate them," Fili said of the spiders. "I won't mention it to him. It's not his business," he said with a nod.

Sigrid gave a sigh of relief. "So... tomorrow. Java Bean. Does around four work for you? You don't need to stay with him... I'll be all right," she smiled.  
"I think that should work, we don't have work tomorrow so it should be fine," he said. "I'll probably hang around but give you space," he said. Just in case Kili really had flipped.

"I'll see you at four then," she said, leaning forward and giving him a quick hug as a thank-you before walking to to parking lot behind the art building.

He sighed and watched her leave. She had given him a lot to think about. And a lot to talk to Thorin about.


End file.
